Wire-stretcher.



Patented m 22, I902;

C. LIENHARDT.

WIRE STRETCHER.

-(App1ication filed. June 15, 1901.)

(No Model.

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LIENHARDT, OF ALLPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,259, dated- July 22, 1902.

Application filed June 15,1901- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LIENHARDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allport, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Wire-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in wirestretchers, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and easily-operated device for stretching and holding the longitu dinal wires of a fence while being stapled or otherwise fastened to a post; and with the above objects in view my improvement also consists in the peculiar construction and. novel arrangement of parts, as will be fully described in the following specification and pointed out in the claim, reference being had to the drawings, in which Figurel is a perspective view of the stretcher as in use. Fig. 2 is a plan "iew of the same as applied to a post'and showing in dotted lines the several positions attained when operated, and Figs. 3 aud t are detail views in perspective of the several parts detached.

In carrying out my invention I employ the handle bar or lever A, having one end terminating in an outwardly-curved bifurcated vclaw-section a and its opposite end being curved outwardly and pointed, as shown" at a, for the purpose of withdrawing staples and the like.

Slidably held upon the handle-section is a sleeve B, having laterally-extending ears 19, between which is pivoted a hook member 0, having its outer or free end provided with a pointed section 0, that is designed to engage the post to which the wire is to be fastened.

My invention is adapted to be used particularly to stretch barbed wires, although it may be used with equal effectiveness when necessary in stretching plain straight wires, and in using to stretch a barbed'wire'the'hook is first placed in position upon the side of a post, with the shank portion extending back of the same-that is, upon the side opposite Serial No. 64,710. (N model.)

handle-section is then passed around the op- .posite side of the post and the wire passed between the bifurcated or claw section, with a barb lying against the same. The handlebar is then moved as -a lever and the required strain put upon the wire until it is drawn sufficiently taut, when it is held in such position until the wire is securely fastened to the post. I

It will thus be seen that the operation is exceedingly simple, requiring but a short time for adjustment, and by having the pivotal point or connection between the hook and lever it allows that point, the pivot, to act as a fulcrum until the hook is pushed from engagement with the post, which allows the lever to abut against the post and the latter then become the fulcrum, and, further, by the peculiar arrangement of the hook and its connection to .the post and lever permits of the stretcher being operated by one hand, and thusleavinglthe other hand free to drive the staple to secure the wire to the post, and by making thesleeve slidable it allows the device to be fitted to different-sized posts and at the same time makes it possible to obtain a fulcrum of various resistances.

From'the foregoing the particular advantages of my device will be readily seen.

Having .thus' fully described my invention, what I claim-as'new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A wire-stretcher comprising a bar or isver having one end curved outwardly and notched, adetachable sleeve slidably positioned upon the bar and having perforated ears formed integral therewith and a hook member pivotally held by the sleeve at one end and having its opposite end terminating in an inwardly-benthook, substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES LIENHARDT.

Witnesses: v

A. A. MERRow, E. RAFF. 

